Finally...

...an economists writes about the larger economic costs of information control. My comment at Truthout:

Controlling information and secrecy is pivotal to the imbalance of economic and political power at the root of many of today's problems. Current POTUS hides his tax returns, business relationships and lies at every opportunity. Former POTUSs prosecuted whistleblowers, spied on Americans, and lied to the world about weapons of mass destruction. Big pharma and chemical companies use patents and proprietary information to make enormous profits and hide injurious outcomes/information. Other industries profit from patent licencing and copyright of information. These all have costs to consumers, workers, voters, and citizens in various forms including purchase price, exposure to unknown chemicals, loss of right(s) to contest disputes (against private and public institutions) and loss of right(s) to make informed decisions. 

The greatest reform to our political and economic system can only come about through a massive increase in information transparency at all levels. Markets aren't free because consumers don't buy with full knowledge of the products (pollution controls, worker's rights/safety, social costs, etc). Citizen's aren't free because voters don't vote with full knowledge of candidates (candidates lie, financial support, etc). Whistleblower protect is a good starting point and we should expand from there.